Accident Bell 47G-2 N2822B, Wednesday 19 January 1983

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Date:	Wednesday 19 January 1983
Time:	14:00 LT
Type:	Bell 47G-2
Owner/operator:	Wilburs Flight Operations
Registration:	N2822B
MSN:	1470
Year of manufacture:	1956
Total airframe hrs:	6832 hours
Engine model:	Lycoming VO-435
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Anchorage, AK - United States of America
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Training
Departure airport:	Anchorage, AK (MRI)
Destination airport:
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
THE HELICOPTER MADE A LANDING DURING WHICH THE TAIL BOOM WAS SEVERED. THIS WAS A DUAL INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT AND ACCORDINGTO THE INSTRUCTOR, A HIGH RECONNAISSANCE WAS PERFORMED BEFORE SELECTING THEIR APPROACH TO THE PINNACLE. THE PINNACLE IS A 3000 FOOT LANDING AREA UNOBSTRUCTED FOR 360 DEGREES AROUND THE PINNACLE AND IS WIDELY USED BY HELICOPTER OPERATORS FORPINNACLE PRACTICE. THE INSTRUCTOR STATED THAT HE NORMALLY WOULD NOT DO PINNACLE WORK WITH A FULL LOAD OF FUEL. BECAUSE THE STUDENT WAS READY FOR A CHECKRIDE, EXCEPT FOR THE PINNACLE WORK, THE IP ELECTED TO DO IT IMMEDIATELY. HE SELECTED ANAPPROACH TO THE WEST BECAUSE HE SAID HE SAW NO BLOWING SNOW. AT 20 FEET AGL HE NOTED HIGH SINK RATE AND HE ADDED POWER AS HE TOOK CONTROL, BUT THE HELICOPTER CONTINUED TO SETTLE WITH POWER. THE ACFT HIT HARD IN A LEVEL ATTITUDE AND THE TAILBOOM WAS SEVERED. INVESTIGATION IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE ACCIDENT SHOWED BLOWING SNOW WHICH INDICATED A WIND FROM THE EAST.

Probable Cause:

Accident investigation: